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| Title | Shock and grief at human rights activist's murder in Russian Caucasus |
| Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
| Country | Russian Federation |
| Publication Date | 15 July 2009 |
| Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Shock and grief at human rights activist's murder in Russian Caucasus, 15 July 2009, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4a604bc2c.html [accessed 31 May 2012] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Shock and grief at human rights activist's murder in Russian Caucasus
Reporters Without Borders is appalled and saddened by today's murder of former journalist Natalia Estemirova (photo RAW in war and AFP), the Russian human rights NGO Memorial's representative in Chechnya. Her body was found this afternoon in the neighbouring republic of Ingushetia following her abduction this morning in the Chechen capital of Grozny.
Estemirova helped Reporters Without Borders conduct a fact-finding visit to Russia's three Caucasian republics - Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan - in March. The information and analyses she shared with Reporters Without Borders reinforced our conviction that the Caucasus is on the brink of chaos and that human rights activists like her are bravely filling the gap left by a dwindling independent press.
"We salute the exemplary courage and commitment of this human rights activist and former journalist, we share the grief of her friends and family and we join them in honouring her memory," Reporters Without Borders said. "We remind the Russian authorities of the violence and abuses to which the population of the Caucasus has been abandoned and we urge them to take action."
The press freedom organisation added: "The authorities must publicly condemn this murder and demonstrate a real determination to combat impunity. A human rights activist's abduction in the heart of Grozny and ensuing murder at a time when Chechnya is supposedly safe again shows that, despite the optimistic claims, the issue of the Caucasus has not been resolved."
Employed by one of Russia's best known human rights NGOs, Estemirova specialised in exposing human rights violations in Chechnya and as former journalist she had helped to cover the wars in this troubled republic. She had been awarded many prizes and was nominated for the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2004.
Topics: Freedom of speech, Freedom of information, Freedom of expression,
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